Domestic UK - London-midlands
 

I realise the possibility of these flights in the future is zero to nothing, but I’m fascinated by the history of these routes and cannot find any information on them (who used to operate them, how often, up until what year etc.)

By London to the midlands I mean either LGW/LHR to BHX/EMA. I remember finding a forum somewhere that discussed it (it also discussed Easyjet’s route between Liverpool and London) but can no longer find it. Please help!

Early 1980's:

BHX -LGW on a twin otter Brymon Airways
BHX-LHR BMI on a shed

An interesting topic that really belongs in the Aviation History & Nostalgia section of PPRuNe - I'm sure a Mod will assist in moving it if necessary.

When began my spotting days BHX/LHR was a 2/3 times daily BEA Viscount service, with Vanguards on some late evening night stopping services.

I can't recall BHX/LGW operating before the BCAL PA31 Navajo service that began, if my memory isn't failing me, in the mid to late 1970s.

and before that in the 70’s BEA/British Airways with Viscounts and even Trident One’s scheduled for a time on the route.

I flew LHR-EMA once in 1983 on a Shed (Shorts 3-30) and same year LHR-BHX return on a Shorts 3-60. Just over 30 minutes flight time on all occasions.

I have just found the previous thread 'Flights between BHX and London LHR or LGW' in AH&N.

Might be worth reposting to that thread.

ATNotts
 

What’s the link for the previous thread please?
Thanks all!

The Brymon Twin Otter had a semi-starring role in the ATC documentary 'Struggling for Control', which can still be found on YouTube. She was flying the Birmingham to Gatwick schedule.

British Midland flew both EMA (which might technically still have been CDD back then) and BHX to Heathrow with a mix of Viscounts, F-27 Shorts 330/360 kit and occasional DC-9 until the late seventies at least.

BMA flew from EMA to LHR up to 5 times a day into the early 90's, the first outbound callsign being BMA221 from EMA. I remember them using a leased Busy Bee F27 for at least a year, followed by their own ATP's and even (City flyer ??) Dash 7's. The service was rumoured to be "slot sitting" at LHR, waiting for a more profitable opportunity for BMA to use the slots. It always appeared to be very popular with BMA staff, and also BA long haul crews. i can't remember when they gave up the route, but I guess 92 or 93?? Someone will chip in with more information soon.

BA flew the Super 1-11's on the MAN shuttle, they even managed to serve a hot breakfast, not easy going on such a short sector, a mod had to be done to install an additional water pump to get enough water to the forward galley/toilet as the majority of the flight was with aircraft in the climb.

Air Europe Express operated LGWBHX with SD360s 1990/91 (until the demise of the International Leisure Group)

How long did the train take from Euston to Birmingham New Street or St Pancras to Loughborough in the 1970s or 1980s ? I'm guessing both journeys were no more than 2 hours

Not mentioned so far, I believe last carrier to operate sustained service London-BHX/EMA was Community Express Airlines. Started Oct 1995, flying a Short 360 over LGW-BHX-EMA. EMA ended following spring when route switched to LGW-BHX-LPL, and route terminated Sep 1996 (I think using Jetstream 31 by then).

There was a bill board on a warehouse at Landor (or was it Lawley) Street Birmingham proclaiming a few minutes less than 90 mins in the 1970s. I have a feeling that journey times are rather longer than that these days.

I guess the BHX/EMA to LHR/LGW would be for passengers connecting to other flights rather than going to London so comparison with train times is not really relevant. Back in those days there were very few Intercontintal flights from regional airports.

I did one hop Birmingham to LHR with British Midland on an ATP in around 1987. To be honest I was connecting to long haul so not sure how much traffic they got on the route.

Cheers
Mr Mac

BMA ATP was still doing it in 1992, it used to park on stand 16 if I recall correctly.

What killed BHX-LHR flights in the early 1990s ? I'm guessing the opening of the M40
I wonder if Swampy knew how much environmental damage he was doing allowing BHX-LHR flights to continue when coming out of his tunnel and allowing road construction would have ended the flights ? :E

I'm not so sure. I reckon that BMI expanding European routes from LHR required the slots that were occupied with BHX/LHR which probably carried very little point to point business, unllike routes to LHR from further north.

Connecting traffic formerly routing via LHR found new hub points such as AMS, CDG and FRA to transfer.

Don't believe the 'everything was better when we had rickets' crowd :)
1h 19m is the quickest time now.